The Summer Tic
by SydneyAustralia
Summary: A third part to my saga, this fic was written because my sister wanted the character based on her to have more time 'on screen'. So, please enjoy the Summer Tic, named after the Paramore EP.
1. Oh, Star

**Chapter One  
Oh, Star**

Babs moved through the woods gracefully, letting the thorns rip up her latest Danish school uniform, detesting the skirt-socks-loafers combination. Her hair, messily pulled up on top of her head in a ponytail, was tangled with leaves and she laughed delightedly. She could smell an old trail of her sister's, then one of Steph's.

And Adrian's and Clyde's scents were against a few trees. The thought of her family made her ecstatically happy. She burst out of the treeline, making her way to the big blue house, looking through the big glass back wall and saw Stephanie whap Christian upside the head as Clyde said something to him and Sydney whirled like a ballerina across the hardwood in her blue ankle socks.

Just like always. She threw open the unlocked backdoor and ran in. They all stopped moving and talking and then she was engulfed in her sister's long arms. "Babsy, Babsy, you're home!" The taller girl shrieked excitedly, spinning her around and around. When she pulled back, she tutted at the ruined outfit and ragged hairstyle and then kissed her sister's forehead before letting the others at her.

"You look good." Christian said, giving her a side-hug and a wink.

"Yeah. Love the ruined look." Stephanie snorted, ruffling the younger girl's hair. She hugged Clyde quickly.

"Nice to have you home." He said in way of greeting.

"Yeah, I'm happy to be home." Babs said.

"Oh, I almost forgot... Our houseguest should be back from his hunt in a few minutes..." Sydney said in a carefully nonchalant voice. Which immediately made Babs suspicous.

"Sydney, who's staying here?" She asked in a too-sweet voice, covering the slight panic. The last time her sister had been this vague, she'd been planning a world-wide vampire baseball league. And didn't that turn out just peachy? No, it didn't.

"Skyler..." Sydney said quickly, nearly silently.

"Oh." Babs let her voice sound uninterested. When in reality, she was doing a happy dance in her mind. "That's nice." And with that she had gone up the stairs to lay in her bedroom. She looked around- mint green walls, a light blue comforter, white wooden furniture. The newest teen gossip magazines were strewn out on the desk, probably Sydney's doing, and from the scents in the room, someone had been in her closet. Her sister.

She got up and opened the door to the walk-in, padding inside to check out the damage. All of her clothes had been replaced with new summer clothes. Shorts, bermudas, bathing suits, tank tops, tee shirts, the occasional miniskirt, and flip flops. An abundance of flip flops in all different colors and prints imaginable.

She snickered at her big sister's exuberance. Or obsessiveness. Take your pick. And then she laid down on the bed with her eyes closed and her breathing even, listening to the sounds in the house. A door opening downstairs, Sydney exclaiming a greeting to Skyler, the boy saying hello in return, asking if Babs was home, probably because of her scent littering the room, Sydney's assertion that yes, her sister was home, and was happy that he was a houseguest.

His laugh. He sat down somewhere, probably in the living room, and Clyde and Christian asked him to play Halo. They never asked Babs to play, but Sydney played with them all the time. Mostly because Clyde would do whatever his wife asked. Well, Babs was sure that if she asked, they'd let her play, but she preferred killing Stephanie in the game.

Stephanie was saying something to Sydney, followed by a giggle from the aforementioned 'insane Barbie' to use Steph's nickname for the girl, and then a whap upside the head for the blonde. And then someone on the stairs, coming closer, and closer. And finally the white wooden door opened and Babs flicked her gaze onto the shaggy-haired vampire teen.

"Hello, Skyler." She smiled, pulling her eyes over his form quickly to acertain his good health.

"Babs, it's good to see you," He said, coming over to sit in her desk chair casually. "Your sister has been bouncing around the house nonstop waiting for your homecoming. It's hilarious."

"To you. You don't have to deal with it 24/7." Babs grumbled good-naturedly.

"I suppose that's true." And they continued their conversation, oblivious to the fact that the blonde in question listened to them with bated breath, eyes excited and doing all she could not to squeal in joy. After all, she loved matchmaking.

Especially when her prey was unaware.


	2. Sunday, Bloody Sunday

**Chapter Two  
Stuck On You**

Babs was watching him again. They were all in the living room on a Thursday night, watching an old movie. _The Rocky Horror Picture Show, _a house favorite. Sydney had already got up to do the Time Warp and was at present sprawled across her husband's lap, her rainbow-colored knee-highs practically glowing in the dark as she sang along to 'Sweet Transvestite' almost inaudibly.

Making Stephanie snicker and nod, Christian's arm slung over her shoulders and his chin resting on the top of her head. "From Transexual, Transylvania, ah huh, let me show you around, maybe play you a song, you look like you're both pretty groovy..."

Skyler leaned over to murmur in her ear, causing her to nearly fall over in her seat. "Does she always do this?" His breath blew in her face, sweet as anything, and because of his proximity his lips brushed against her earlobe as he spoke.

"Ah, uh-huh," She stuttered out, trying to keep her cool. "I see you shiver... with antici-pation. But maybe the rain! Isn't really to blame... So I'll remove the cause, but not the symptom..." The soprano voice projected to the whole room, making both vampires jump.

"Clyde, I had the best idea! We could put on a reenactment of the Rocky Horr-" Sydney exclaimed.

"No." Stephanie interrupted. "We could not." Her tone brooked no argument.

"Bu-"

"No." Sydney sat back with a pout and a little 'hmph' noise, before Clyde leaned to whisper into her ear, inaudible to all of them.

When the movie ended Clyde and Sydney disappeared upstairs, Stephanie dragged Christian and Babs and Skyler out of the house for a hunt, and when they returned eight hours later Sydney was bouncing around the house in a tank top and a pair of shorts, cleaning the whole place, while Clyde spoke on the phone to someone about renting or buying a private island.

"We're taking a vacation?" Christian asked, looking as excited as if he'd just won the lottery, considering that he hadn't been out of the various Freestone houses (save for he and Steph's Vegas wedding and subsequent honeymoon/gambling spree) since he'd been turned.

"Yep! I came up with the idea awhile ago!" Sydney exclaimed over the music playing. (Push It by the cast of her new favorite TV show, Glee) and Stephanie was trying to ignore the sexually suggestive lyrics for her own sanity and Sydney's overall wellbeing.

"That sounds like you guys will have alot of fun." Skyler said brightly and then Sydney whirled to look at him.

"You're coming too, mister! Not a word about it!" She said forcefully, hurrying over to crush him into a hug. Skyler coughed out an unneeded breath.

"Thank-you?" He asked, wide-eyed.

"You're welcome, dear!" She said, looking almost misty-eyed, if that was possible.

"Sydney... I think you're scaring the boy..." Clyde said, disentangling the shorter male from his wife's eager hug. Skyler gave him an appreciative look.

"Oh," Sydney muttered, looking downcast for a moment before brightening up again and dancing back over to resume her avid dusting.

"Ahem-bipolar-ahem," Stephanie coughed out with a grin. Sydney shot her an unamused glare, and then announced that they should all "_pack for three months of fun in the sun!" _and Babs silently agreed with Steph on this one.

And she and Skyler ran up the stairs side-by-side.


	3. Stuck On You

**Chapter Three  
Sunday, Bloody Sunday**

"Boys!" Sydney hissed at Christian and Clyde, dragging them further out into the woods by their ears.

"Yes?" Christian asked, trying to tug himself free.

"They aren't doing anything! He's not hitting on her and she's not flirting and I want you two numbskulls to tell Skyler how to flirt! And if you don't I'll make sure your lives are miserable for the next decade!" The vampiress looked ready to pitch a fit. As it was, she stomped her foot angrily. The two men looked chagrined and promised to give him a crash-course on sweet talking.

"That's all I ask." She smiled, pleased, and skipped off towards the beach.

"You're wife is kinda crazy. Nice… kinda, but crazy." Christian told his 'best friend' (though, he'd never admit it, because, really, how girly was that?) who laughed.

"That's one of the reasons why I love her."

Later that afternoon Stephanie and Babs and Sydney went on a hunting expedition (the island was stocked with a few dozen deer, some big cats, and about a hundred smaller animals, because apparently the new owners, the Fitzgeralds -one of Clyde and Sydney's aliases- were avid hunters) and Christian and Clyde commenced to sit their young friend down and give him as many tips as they could.

"First of all, kid, you gotta compliment her." Christian said, writing it down on the dry-erase board he'd procured from the attic. "A girl like Babs, you can find alot to compliment. Her hair. Her clothes. Anything. Well, anything flattering."

"And make sure you look her in the eye alot. Be intense, but still casual." Clyde instructed, writing it down as well. The physically-fifteen-year-old nodded.

"How old was Babs when she was changed?" He asked out of curiosity.

"Nearly fourteen." Clyde supplied promptly. Skyler nodded.

"What does she like?"

"Halo." Christian said immediately. "Invite her to play Halo."

"Flowers. She likes yellow roses, I think."

"Baseball! We could have a game of baseball!"

"Romantic gestures, like... fireworks! Or take her dancing on the mainland!"

"She's not Sydney! She gets enough dancing all day here! Take her to see a movie!"

It went on like this for nearly two hours, Christian suggesting something modern and not too romantic, and Clyde embodying the epitome of romance. Skyler nodded, paying rapt attention, and by the time they were done they had crammed dozens of suggestions on the white board before wiping it clean and stowing it hurriedly just before Babs arrived home with Steph and Sydney.

"So, uh, I was thinking if maybe you all wanted to play a game of baseball?" Skyler said after Christian elbowed him.

"Sure. That sounds fun," Madison nodded. Sydney grinned. "I brought the new uniforms I made!" She said, clapping, and then towed Babs and an unwilling Steph with her, coming to give the guys their own uniforms five seconds later before disappearing again upstairs.

"She really takes this seriously, huh?" Skyler asked in disbelief.

"No, she just takes any chance she gets to fit us into matching outfits." Christian muttered under his breath. Stephanie boomed a laugh upstairs.

And so they ended up in their boys-versus-girls uniforms and out in the middle of the island where there was a clearing big enough to play ball. Clyde's team were to bat first, Babs playing shortstop and Stephanie the entire outfield while Sydney pitched, her new black and red uniform clinging tightly to her immortal skin.

In six innings it was 12-11, Sydney's team at the advantage, and Sydney was up to bat while Babs was a runner on third, Skyler playing shortstop. Sydney swung the bat around and Christian flew after it as they began to run. The ball whistled through the air and Skyler caught it, chasing after the girl of his dreams.

"Go, Babs!" Stephanie shouted from the sidelines. The small blonde girl dove then, arms outstretched, and Skyler followed into the rising cloud of sand. It cleared to reveal him with the ball tagging Babs' back, both sprawled out, and Babs' palms firmly planted on homebase.

"You look beautiful covered in sand." He complimented her abruptly, and Christian shot him a thumbs-up from across the field.

"OUT!" Clyde said, acting as umpire.

"She was SAFE!" Sydney shrieked.

"No, she was out!" Christian protested.

"Are you kidding me? She was safe by a mile? Look at her hands! Those are planted!" Stephanie hollered.

"OUT!"

"SAFE!"

"OUT!"

"You wanna get outta here, maybe head to the mainland?" Skyler whispered to Babs as the older four argued. She nodded vehemently, grabbing his hand and towing him into the woods.

"SAFE!"

"OUT!"

"SAFE!"


	4. This Circle

**Chapter Four  
This Circle**

They swam to the mainland in their swimsuits, clothes in Ziploc bags on top of their heads, and when they hit the sand they pulled them on. Hand in hand, they walked off of the beach and to the village. Skyler attempted to utilize the 'techniques' the guys had taught him- he complimented her, listened to her talk, and looked deep into her big topaz eyes.

Problem was, he was kind of freaking Babs out. Her cell phone took that moment to ring and she picked it up hurriedly. "Uh, yeah?"

"Babs! Are you on the mainland!?" Sydney shrieked on the other side. She held the phone away from her ear, wincing.

"Yeah,"

"Well, we've decided to come too!" The blonde squealed. Stephanie was muttering in the background. "No, Steph, I will NOT 'tone it down'! OW! Well, IT LOOKED LIKE IT WOULD HURT!"

Babs snickered, hanging up, and looked at where Skyler had brought her. A club. Like, a little tiny foreign club with Latin music blaring and half-naked tourists dancing inappropriately. Should be fun, she mused to herself.

Apparently, 75+ years of vampiric life hadn't helped Skyler gain any insight into the way of dancing. Because he was kind of... flailing about, and Babs tried not to look embarrassed.

When Sydney & Co. arrived, all dressed to the nines (well, Sydney, Christian, and Clyde) in shimmery fabric and tight pants (Stephanie wore a simple black tank top and ripped up skinny jeans) they openly stared at the uncoordinated movements of the 'dancing' vampire boy and tried to contain their laughter.

And then Sydney, in all of her 'wisdom', shoved some choreomania his way, just a bit, and then he was dancing almost gracefully. Babs mouthed a thank-you to her sister and continued to dance. Christian was trying to coax his wife to the floor while Sydney systematically dominated it with her own husband, her reflecting skin and the black sequins on her slouchy camisole striking under the strobe lights.

She caught her sister's eye and her expression was gleeful. Babs grinned back and at the same time that Clyde did, Skyler whirled her around like they were waltzing. She raised her pale eyebrows and then turned to look at her partner. "I love you." She said then, closing her eyes in terror.

And felt a silky mouth the same temperature as hers against her lips. Skyler kissed her thoroughly, both stock still, his hands light against the small of her back. She couldn't believe it. She almost felt her heart then, felt the ghost of it banging against her ribs. When they pulled away, he kissed her forehead firmly and then drew back to look in her butterscotch eyes.

"I love you." He said, enunciating every single syllable. Sydney was hyperventilating -as much as a vampire could hyperventilate- and saying something like, "Didn't expect it so soon... oh, I have to plan! Gotta plan a wedding, white lace... duchesse satin... tulle.... yellow roses... tulips... oh, Dear!" and Stephanie was contentedly slow dancing with her own husband.

Babs tuned it all out and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him again. She would gladly kiss him forever.


	5. Epilogue

**Epilogue  
Emergency (Crab Remix)**

Babs stared at the chapel doors anxiously. She was in the antechamber with Sydney, Stephanie, and Clyde. Sydney was cussing up a storm as she repaired a rip in Stephanie's blouse, and Babs wished that she had known those for earlier when she'd found Sydney and Clyde in the back of the Camaro, making out like teenagers.

Babs now had Clyde's arm in a deathgrip, as he was giving her away. Any minute now the wedding march, Wagner's, would start up and she'd be walking down the aisle and then she'd be married. She shuddered just thinking about it.

It was a good shudder though. Sydney fixed her sister's veil, the blue tinted lace hiding her little, gorgeous face from view. Babs studied her big sister's dress- the Maid of Honor's ensemble was bright blue with a thick white silk sash. It hugged the dangerous curves like a second skin and fell like a waterfall of silk and satin.

"I love you," Sydney whispered, pulling Babs into a hug.

"Love you too," The shorter blonde croaked out. And then the march started, the doors were thrown open, and Stephanie glided down in her white slacks and blue blouse, clutching a bouquet of yellow roses and white orchids. Sydney followed, the hem of her long dress rustling against the floor, and then when Babs had counted to forty, it was time for her and Clyde to embark down the white velvet aisle.

Her long, princessy white silk gown clung tight to her immortal body, perfectly tailored to cling to her shoulders, emphasize what cleavage she did have, and skim over her slim hips in cascading, pleated ruffles. Clyde matched her in a deep blue tuxedo, white vest, tie, and orchid buittonaire.

She met Skyler's gaze- he wore an outfit identical to Clyde and Christian. His face was adoring, his smile breathtaking, and she found that her own mouth smoothed into the perfect grin. At the head of the altar Clyde swept back her veil and placed her tiny, squared hand into her fiancée's while Sydney dry-sobbed, clutching both bouquets.

And so they were married.


End file.
